


Little Bird

by foggyforests



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aged up Eleven, Dark fic, Discussion of Abortion, Eleven Needs a Hug, F/M, Mentions of past sexual assault, Protective Billy Hargrove, Set before season two, Slow Burn, Smut, Teen Abortion, Teen Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, mentions of past rape
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:47:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26758954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foggyforests/pseuds/foggyforests
Summary: A slightly drunken Billy Hargrove is discovered by Eleven.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Eleven | Jane Hopper, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Billy Hargrove
Comments: 20
Kudos: 38





	1. Down in the Forest

**Author's Note:**

> This is a dark story, yes, but I have aged Eleven up to 14 instead of her original age in the second season. Just to clarify, then the age gap between the two of them would only be by three years.

The snow was light, hardly even dusting the ground below, but the air was brutally chilling. The grey day only worsened the matter, the lack of sun making the cold downright cruel. It nipped ruthlessly at any exposed skin, made your nose sting when you took a breath in. The jacket and gloves Eleven wore only did so much to protect her against the elements. While the young girl preferred to stay as deep inside of the forest as possible, away from people, this time was slightly different 

Eleven had found herself a comfortable little cave made out of a few large rocks that had collapsed in on one another, leaving a decent sized area to be able to have the smallest of fires and to be slept in. It wasn't as deep in the forest as she would desired, but she knew not many people would feel inclined to walk in the woods during this time of year anyway, so she didn’t have much of a reason to actually worry. 

The cave was usually used by local kids in the summer and fall, -stoners, people looking to get drunk, people looking to hookup-, hence there being quite a few empty beer cans strewn about 

Before finding the cave, she'd been found a couple of times by people hunting the forest. Each time a person came across her, she'd defend herself by any means necessary, usually using her powers against them to knock them unconscious with a hard hit from an object lying near 

She also learned to steal from these hunters. Simple but necessary things. A jacket, a lighter, gloves, and a thermos containing hot coffee (which Eleven has used to melt snow in, therefore making a needed drink of water), which Eleven gladly gulped down, even though she was thrown off at first by the rather bitter taste of black coffee

One of the times she had been stumbled upon, the hunter had a Canon camera. Unbeknownst to Eleven, the hunter had planned on using the camera to photograph himself with whatever unfortunate deer he'd ended up killing 

She ended up stealing the camera, deciding it would be something worth keeping. Through trial and error, she eventually figured out what the camera was used for and how to properly use it 

In an attempt to stay warm, (also due to an incredible amount of growing boredom) Eleven decided to walk around and explore some with her camera

She observed the blackbirds in thin oak trees, to the snow-dusted ground beneath her, occasionally forever capturing the moment with a photograph 

She was only two hundred or so feet away from her cave when she heard a voice 

" _Fuck_!!"  Echoes through the trees, followed by the sound of breaking glass. The noises caused Eleven to flinch, her brown eyes growing wide like that of a scared deer 

She hesitantly looked around the forest that surrounded her, the strange and unfamiliar smell of weed drifting through the trees. A light voice laughs, causing her to clench the camera slightly tighter in her glove-covered hands

She knew she should've left, should turn back and run as fast as her thin legs could take her, but there was a part of herself (one that she absolutely hated) that was curious 

The shouts began again, followed by another glass breaking. Eleven slowly made her way towards the noise, steps quiet against the ground

"Holy fuck... I fucking  _HATE_ you!" 

She knew she should have been afraid, but fear did not touch her. The voice sounded much less angry and far more hurt

She climbed on top of a slightly snow-covered boulder, being sure to pull her dress below her knees so the snow didn't touch her legs. Below her, she spotted a wavy-haired man wearing a leather jacket. He was sat down on a cut-down treestump, broken glass surrounding his boots. His hands were clenched in tight fists in his blonde hair 

Eleven hesitated a moment before adjusting herself so she was propped up on her elbows, camera between her hands. The boy shivered violently a moment, releasing his hair from his fists as he hunched over, clenching his stomach. A quick, dry sob was all Eleven heard 

The man mumbled something to himself, intended only for his ears. He still grasps his stomach, looking as though he could vomit at just about any moment 

_Click._

Eleven's eyes grew large as she heard the sound, one that made her stomach drop. She had unintentionally pressed the camera's button. Was it possible he heard that? Probably not-... Right?

Eleven didn't look away from the man just a few feet below her. There was a small part of her that was worried if she did, that the man would look over and see her

She felt bad for the man. It was obvious to her that he was hurting. He was in the forest for a reason

Eleven looked away for a second, down at the camera she held in her hands. She had a strange look of slight betrayal on her face, as though the camera she held had cost something dear to her. 

When she brought her gaze back to the stump where the man had been sat, she again felt her stomach fall 

The man was gone. 

She desperately looked around, eyes searching for the man as anxiety clenched its hand around her stomach

"What are you doing?" A husky voice asked from beneath her, feeling as though dread just stop her heart 

Eleven's eyes grew wide like saucers as she pushed herself off the boulder, mouth falling open

The blonde-haired man, who looked much more like a boy from this angle, stared at her. 

Under his red and puffy eyes hung two plum-colored crescents, his cheeks and nose a dusted red. His face washed with a short-lived wave of confusion as he noticed how strange the girl before him appeared with her incredibly short hair and very dirty pink dress 

His soft blue eyes are drawn to a harsh, heavy glare. 

"I said," He growls "what the  fuck  are you doing?" 

Eleven shrunk back slightly "I-I.." She began running through her options in her head. She could try to run- but the man looked fit. He would probably catch her. She could use her powers to have a rock thrown at his head... but the thought of that felt wrong. It felt invasive. Eleven hated using her powers for bad- for hurting. She felt as though she had done enough of that in her past, even if the people she hurt deserved to be hurt 

"Give't to me." He stuck his hand out. Eleven blanched at his outstretched hand, shaking her head with a frown 

"N-No..." She protested quietly, heartbeat becoming more rapid as the seconds passed between them. She was not about to give this man her camera- it was one of the very few things that made things easier

Her breath hitched as the man's eyes grew colder. He took a lousy step forward, stumbling slightly before falling to his knees. He scrambled to get up quickly. His blue jeans were dirty and wet at the knees, making them a blackish shade of dark blue 

Eleven almost felt bad for the man. She knew something was wrong with him, besides just the apparent. 

It's certainly cliché, but the blonde drank to forget. Not the past, not exactly. He drinks simply to forget it  all. 

The present. The beatings. The hot tears. The drunken bruises. The girls who only like him for his dick. The now. The everything. 

Eleven could sense the pure hurt on him- the unmistakable melancholy. She was somewhat familiar with it herself, even though she wouldn't be able to exactly put her feelings into words that would paint a proper picture of the emotions she actually felt. It made her want to help him, mostly because she felt he knew what it was like to not be able to express one's feelings 

"Just fucking GIVE it to me!" He huffed with a growl, face twisting with anger 

Eleven flinched yet again, stepping back, still tightly holding onto her camera. "No..." Her voice was less shaky, more confident, although she still had a distressed frown on her face 

The blonde man frowned slightly himself as he looked to the girl before him. Her growing confidence made him back off a bit. If he weren't so buzzed, he more than likely would have chased after her and grabbed her, forcing her to give him the camera so he could break it on a tree or rock. But he didn't have the will to do that- not now'

"Who the fuck even are you?" The man asked, well, spat. Anger laced his voice, but there was the slightest hint of genuine confusion. He wasn't so buzzed that he couldn't see the person in front of him was definitely young, close to his sisters age probably- but that didn't explain her appearance, it only brought more blurry questions to the blonde's mind 

Eleven frowned a bit, noting the confusion in his tone. "Who...?" She repeated before looking down, away from his gaze. The look that crossed her face was childish but contemplative, one that only further confused the man before her

"What- were you dropped on your head as a baby? What's your name." The man's tone was less angry, more so pinched 

Eleven looked up quickly "Eleven." She said softly 

The blonde man's face twisted into a face of confusion, then a face of disapproval "What kind of name is  that. " He said, causing Eleven to shift uncomfortably. Her gaze dropped to the ground, to her dirty shoes, where they focused for a moment 

"Well...  Eleven ..." Referring to a person as a number felt unfamiliar and wrong to the man. But he no longer felt angry- no longer felt like he absolutely needed to smash that camera into a million tiny pieces. "...I'm Billy." 

Eleven looked to Billy, looking him up and down, examining him. "Billy..." She repeated, his name feeling as unfamiliar and wrong as her name felt to Billy 

Billy took a step forward. Eleven immediately took one back. Billy looked a tiny bit offended, but that faded quickly "I ain't gonna hurt you..." He muttered quietly before taking another step forward. Eleven stayed put this time

He let out a sigh, a cloud of blue-grey coming from his mouth as he did so. "What are you even doing out here all by yourself?" He asked. This was his most pressing question, but he had about fifty more, each coming the longer the two stayed in one another's company 

Eleven shrugged "I..." She looked down "got lost..." There was an uncertainty in her voice, one that told Billy she was lying

Billy let out another sigh before beginning to walk towards Eleven, climbing over the very small hill Eleven stood upon

"Billy-" 

Billy stopped, sighing "What."

Eleven paused, searching for a way to properly word her question "What are you... doing?" She asked, there being another hint of uncertainty in her voice- almost as if she wasn't sure she was saying the right thing 

"Leaving. It's getting cold... Plus the sun is going to go down soon." He told the girl before him. He then began walking again- however, once he got close to Eleven, he walked right past her 

Eleven watched him do this. It seemed the girl had a constant frown around the older boy, but her frown became more distinct as she watched him continue to walk 

He stopped, the crunch of last years fall temporarily ceasing. He turned around to face her with an expectant "Are you coming with or not? I'm getting something to eat." He paused a moment "You look like you could use a meal or... two." 


	2. Just for tonight.

Eleven slowly seemed to put together what it was Billy was saying. She looked down, this time thinking of her options yet again. 

She could go with him and risk being found out about- risk being brought back to the lab. She could stay here- even though the gloomy and dark clouds on the horizon promise a difficult, certainly freezing night ahead. She knew she couldn’t stay out there much longer. 

"Look- I don't have all day. Stay here and freeze, I don't give a fuck." Billy's words were cold but his tone betrayed him. It was far less uncaring than he would have preferred- it almost sounded defensive, as if it  would bother him if he did leave the girl alone in the forest. 

Eleven looked up, taking slow steps forward. 

She walked past Billy, making him let out a small sigh before joining her. 

A slightly uncomfortable silence fell between the two of them, one that felt much like an ill-fitted suit. The more Billy sobered, the more questions he had. He knew he couldn't just ask her them all at once, though. Not without severely overwhelming her- or possibly even frightening her. 

The two continued walking at a steady, silent pace. Once they reached the mouth of the forest, Eleven stopped. 

Billy stopped a few feet ahead as well, sending her a small glare. "Did you forget how to walk or something?"

Eleven shook her head, shifting her weight as she looked to the land before her. There wasn't any more forest that would protect her- there was only a wide-open field, a parking lot with a single black car waiting patiently, and the road 

Billy began walking again, knowing Eleven would probably follow. 

And he was right. Eleven got more and more stressed the more distance formed between the two of them- eventually giving in and making a quick run to join him at his side. It caused Billy to smirk faintly, knowing he was right about one thing. 

Eleven crossed her arms over her chest as she walked, the camera she held still in one of her gloved hands. Billy glanced down to her, taking in just how dirty she appeared. The girl looked like she'd been living without taking a bath for at least a month. God... how long had she been out there? 

Billy looked away, the pair now reaching his car. He got in the driver's seat after unlocking the car, expecting Eleven to get in as well. He started the car up, turning the heat on high. 

When she didn't get in, he sent a slightly annoyed look to Eleven through the passenger's window as she just stood there, arms still crossed

"C'mon, get in already!" 

Eleven pulled her bottom lip between her teeth for a quick moment before getting in. She knew this was risky- but it didn't feel wrong. 

It felt unfamiliar and definitely made her feel worried, but it didn't make her feel unsafe. Billy didn’t scare her as much as he probably should have.

Almost as soon as she got into the car, she put her camera down onto her lap. Her dress rode up a bit from the weight of the camera, showing dark bruises on her knees. She put her gloved hands to the air vents in an attempt to warm them faster. 

Billy watched her do this. He took note of the bruises, which made him feel uncomfortably saddened. Seeing the bruises and the dirt that accompanied the girls tiny body made him angry- and he didn't even know why. 

He turned the radio on, a song by The Velvet Underground making itself comfortable in the car. It was a nice enough distraction, plus, Eleven didn't really seem to mind the music

Once the two were on the road, Eleven kept her gaze to her window. 

Billy would occasionally glance over to her. Every time he did so, he noticed something different about her. Maybe a small scar or another bruise. The strangeness of the whole situation was just beginning to sink in, as well as the strangeness of the girl sitting quietly next to him. 

It wasn't long before the two found a place to eat. A Burger King, something easy and cheap. Billy had figured Eleven wouldn't be comfortable inside of the restaurant itself, (plus, he knew he would probably get some seriously concerned stares) so he opted to go through the drive-through instead 

"Here," Billy said, placing a paper bag full of food onto Eleven's lap. "Just- Don't make a mess." He told her, sending her a glance as he set her drink- a sprite- down in the cup holder next to his own drink. Then, he pulled into a parking space in the parking lot of the Burger King 

Eleven was timid at first, slowly opening the bag on her lap. Once she began eating though, it was like she couldn't get enough. 

Billy watched her with a frown as he slowly ate his own food- it was like she was inhaling the meal.

"Look..." Billy wiped his hands clean from the grease of his french fries "I need you to answer some questions I have." He told her, turning his body slightly so he could better face her while the two talked. Eleven temporarily stopped eating, swallowing what food she had in her mouth before grabbing hold of her pop, taking a long sip. She looked to Billy with a look that said 'well, get on with it.' 

Billy cleared his throat slightly, turning the radio and the heat down so he could be better heard 

"Why were you in the woods?" He asked, gaze staying on her small figure. Eleven paused a moment before shrugging 

"I got lost." 

How could she even begin to explain why she was in the woods? She knew she couldn't- not even if she wanted to. 

"Bullshit." Billy said quickly, the tiniest hint of anger in his tone. He hated being lied to. 

Eleven looked over to him, eyes growing colder for a moment.

"No." She told him before beginning to eat again 

This cause Billy to roll his eyes, sighing as he sat back in his seat, still looking at her as she ate her burger.

"You need to give me some answers." He told her. Maybe she was a runaway? That could explain the lack of parents and her disheveled appearance. But it didn't explain the hair cut or the... was that a tattoo? 

Billy grabbed Eleven by the wrist, grip firm but not tight, as he saw the tattoo "What the fuck is this? Did your parents do this to you?" 

Eleven immediately pulled her arm back, almost dropping her burger in the process

Billy's mind was running far faster than he was able to control. Could it be sex trafficking? 

That would explain a lot. Some sick fuck would probably pay to have a little girl's hair cut off, only to do god knows what to her.

It made Billy feel sick just thinking about it. Made his chest feel tight, as if he had eaten a piece of bread without water, only to take a large pill immediately afterward. He looked over to her, eyes softer and more kind 

He knew he couldn't take her back to the forest- there was no possible way he was going to allow that to happen. He knew he  should  take her to the cops, but that felt wrong. He knew he absolutely could not take her home- that was as solid of a no as taking her back to the forest 

"Hurry up eating." Billy told her, looking out the windshield for a moment. The sky was getting darker, warning of the night to come. "I'm taking you to a motel. Just for tonight." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts and criticisms are always appreciated ✨ Have a beautiful day.


	3. Don’t Go.

Eleven frowned "Motel?" Her words were slightly muffled due to the amount of food she had in her mouth.

"Yeah. So you can shower and sleep. I'll rent two rooms if I have to." Billy said. He thought the girl might prefer to have her own room. Eleven played this over silently in her mind, reaching for her soda to drink.

"So is that a yes?" Billy asked, glancing over to her. He didn't have any other option if she said no. 

Eleven shrugged, straw still to her lips 

"I can't take you anywhere else. It's either a motel or the police station. And fuck, I really don't feel like finding out what a couple of coppers would do if they saw you in my car." He said, starting the car up again. Eleven stayed silent, watching him carefully. 

Billy pulled out of the parking lot, Eleven still munching on her food. He ended up giving her the rest of his unfinished burger and fries, which she ate gladly, even though she was already full. 

While Billy was still relatively new to town, he did know where the local motel was. He'd spent a few nights there, mostly when his father came home drunk with his eyes set on finding something to be pissed off about. 

Billy sometimes felt like a coward for running away like that, only to come back home by morning acting as if nothing had even happened. The 'pretending that nothing' happened was always the hardest part, because it meant he had to swallow down any previous emotions- much like swallowing down a pill without any water.

"So," Billy turned the radio on, some cheesy love song playing lowly through the speakers. "where are you from?" Would she even be able to answer the question? Billy figured not, but maybe it would give him some insight on where she's been.

Eleven gave him an unknowing shrug when he glanced over, one that both said 'I don't know' and 'I don't know how to answer your question.' 

Billy sighed as he stopped at a red light. For a moment, he contemplated telling her he was from California. Telling her about the bright sun, the seemingly endless blue sky that met into the equally endless blue ocean, the all year round smell of sunscreen and flowers. He contemplated telling her about all the things he missed.

Once the light turned green, he pressed down on the gas, speeding forward whilst simultaneously pushing a wide-eyed Eleven back in her seat.

He glanced over to her, letting a sharp breath out through his nose with a small smile as he saw her reaction "It's fine." He told her. And it looked like she believed him. Her frightened mask beginning to fall away to one of curiosity. 

Eleven adjusted herself in her seat a bit, sitting up more so she could better see the road ahead. The sun was beginning to set. Near the horizon- where dark clouds had yet to completely overtake the sky- there was a vivid streak of apricot orange. It was a type of beauty El didn't think she'd get to see again.

"When we get to the motel," Billy began, figuring it'd be important to tell her the plan beforehand so she can actually follow through with it "I need you to stay in here. I'll pay for the rooms. Then I'll come and get you." He glanced over to her to make sure she understood, which she verified that she did by giving a nod 

Progress. That's what that seemed to be to Billy. 

He stopped at another red light, patting his jacket's pocket before sticking his hand inside, fishing out a pack of cigarettes and a silver lighter. The lighter had been his mothers, one of the few things he'd stolen from her before she left.

Eleven watched him doing this with a look of genuine interest. When she saw him take one of the cigs and put it to his lips, she immediately plucked it before it even had the chance to be lit 

"The fuck's your problem?" Billy said. If just about anyone else had done that, he'd probably of crushed them. 

"Papa says those are bad." Eleven replied, looking at the cigarette in her palm. She could still smell the lingering cigarette smoke Papa would sometimes have on his suit and the feeling of dread she would feel when she smelled said smoke.

Billy hesitated a moment. Who the fuck was 'Papa'? "Yeah- well, this is America. If I wanna smoke, I can." He said before pressing on the gas again. 

Eleven didn't reply, simply set the cigarette in one of the Burger King bags. 

He didn't pull another cigarette out. Instead, he put the pack and the lighter back into his pocket. 

. . . 

Soon enough, the two made it to the motel. It all happened a lot faster than Eleven had expected, with Billy only staying inside the motel's office for two minutes, max. She found herself wondering what would happen in the morning. She found herself imagining what would happen if the lab found her again. She found herself imagining them tak-

_ Knock knock _

Billy tapped on the window, two keys in his hands "Let's go." He said to her, Eleven doing as told. She got out, seeing Billy go to the trunk of the car

He opened it up, pulling two plastic bags. He slammed the trunk closed, then locking it with the car key 

"Here- Catch." Billy tossed one of the bags to Eleven, which she awkwardly grabbed onto, camera occupying one of her hands. Inside, there were clothes.

Billy always had two clean pairs of clothes in his car. Mostly so he could sleep in a motel and then head to school in the morning. People didn't suspect anything that way- which was good. He'd hate for his perceived image- one of strength, confidence, and chaos- to be tampered with in any way.

"I figured you'll need something to wear." He said, beginning to walk to one of the motel's rooms. Eleven followed closely behind.

"The clothes will be big on you," He said, glancing at her. He realized she would probably be able to wear one of his t-shirts as a dress. "Whatever doesn't fit can be tied and adjusted." 

Eleven was listening, but it didn't really look like she was. She was focused on trying not to slip on the unsalted parking lots ice

Billy walked to the door, unlocking it with one of the keys. He then walked in, looking around as Eleven followed

The walls were a rather ugly yellow made even more unattractive by the hazy yellow of the nightstands lamp. The bed was made neatly with a blue blanket, a floral quilt draped over the foot. The room smelled slightly of bleach, stale air, and pinecones- a smell that made Eleven sneeze almost as soon as she walked into the room.

Billy pointed across the room to a wooden door "That's the bathroom. You can take a shower in there." 

Eleven knew what a shower was. She'd taken plenty at the lab, one a day. 

"I'm going to get some beer across the street. It won't take any more than ten minutes. You'll probably still be in the shower once I get back." He said, "I'll bring back Kool-aid or something." Kids like Kool-aid, right? How old even was Eleven anyway? Billy had no clue. 

"But uh... Lock the door when I leave. I'll get back in with the key I have." He told her. Eleven nodded, telling him she understood

And with that, he was gone. The door closed behind him. He needed a moment to breathe, a moment to think what the fuck he's going to do next. Because there wasn't any one solution. He couldn't ensure or promise anything- but he could at least try his best to provide the girl with safety. Safety against what, though, he was totally unsure of.

Eleven stood there a few moments before setting the camera down on the nightstand. She understood he would be back, but that didn't mean she liked being alone. Using her powers, she locked the door before slowly and awkwardly walking off to the bathroom. 

Once in the bathroom, she stared at the mirror. It was the first time she'd really gotten to look at herself. Her hair was a little longer. There was a little drip of blood coming from her nose. The dirt and grim on her was essentially caked on. She looked exhausted- as though she'd been to Hell and back. And she basically had been.

She closed the bathroom door before starting the water. She put her hand under the water a few times to be sure it was actually heating up. 

Then, she undressed. It felt  _ fantastic _ to be able to take that dirty, ripped clothing off and to get into a hot shower. It felt even better- somehow- to know she wasn't going to sleep outside in the bitter cold- that she wasn't going to have to worry about killing some poor creature for breakfast. For the first time in what felt to be ages, Eleven felt good

-

Billy began his walk to the store across the street with his hands deep in his pockets. This was all incredibly overwhelming. It felt like a cruel joke, much like having a rug pulled from under your feet. What was he going to do when the morning came. When the sun rose and he had to look at the issue head-on.

But there was a part of him that was just slightly okay with this. Billy has always needed to be needed- or at the very least, wanted. And he felt like he needed to help Eleven. If he knew the truth, though, he would realize how Eleven didn't really actually  _ need  _ anyone 

Once he was inside the store, he looked around for some things he could buy. How old was that girl even after all? She looked like she could be near Max's age.

Billy ended up buying some candy, along with beer, water, and Kool-Aid mix. He didn't often indulge in his sweet tooth, but he definitely had one. He finished paying, walking back to the motel's room. He unlocked it, finding the room to be empty, though he could hear the shower running 

"I'm back!" Billy called out, just to be sure the girl didn't think it was someone else

There was a small tv on the nightstand on the opposite wall of the bed. He set the goodies he'd bought down on the bed, then going to turn the television on. To his annoyance, he was unable to get anything except static, leading him to settle for turning the small radio on, taking a seat on the bed. 

He cringed slightly as he heard the song that was playing- Me and Bobby Mcgee. It was a song that his mother often sang to him before bed. He immediately turned it off, settling for silence.

He sat there for a few moments, just listening to the water run in the other room. He was really beginning to wonder what he could do. There was the obvious- he could take her to a police station and explain what happened. But that almost couldn't happen. His dad had been talking about getting a job as an officer, as he had done in California 

Billy huffed sharply, running his hands over his face. There was no easy solution. He knew he probably couldn't keep her, given she was not his to keep. She was a child, a child who seemingly doesn't have any parents and who was living alone in the forest. How the fuck did she even manage to survive? 

Billy reached to grab the case of beers, opening it up so he could grab one out. He twisted the cap off, hearing a familiar pop. He took a long sip before setting it down next to the radio on the nightstand.

He still heard the water running. He figured she'd be in there for a while. He ended up messing with the radio, flipping through stations until he found one about the weather. 

"- your best bet is to stay inside as much as possible tonight and tomorrow. It's expected to snow up to thirteen inches tonight, with temperatures going below zero." A man said.  _ Great. _

Billy flipped through the stations again, finally finding a song by Mötley Crüe to listen to.

He heard the water turn off, then the shower curtain open. He grabbed his beer bottle, scanning his eyes around the room for a few moments. There were a few small, leather-bound books, a painting of a little girl eating an ice cream cone with her puppy, and there was a box of matches on the table beside the television.

A few minutes later, Eleven emerged from the bathroom wearing a completely over sides grey sweatshirt- which just about engulfed Eleven's arms, going way past her hands, and a pair of sweatpants she had to cuff at the feet.

Billy looked to her "Well, look at that." He said, "You look as clean as a whistle." Eleven looked momentarily puzzled by the expression but decided against asking what it meant.

"I got the Kool-Aid and some candy." He told her, standing up and emptying the contents of the bag onto the bed

Eleven walked to the bed, pushing the sleeves up before picking up a box of Sour Patch Kids. There was one other box of candies, some chocolate, and red licorice. She examined the colorful box, then shaking the contents inside.

"You can have some of those if you want. But you have to answer my questions." He told her, taking the box of candy from her 

Eleven grew quiet a moment before nodding "...Fine." 

"Good." Billy said. He handed her back the box of candy, which she started opening 

"Now..." He thought a few moments. He had about a million different questions, but he knew he couldn't bombard her with them all at once. He decided to start with something easy- or something he thought was easy

"Who's Papa?" Billy asked. Almost immediately, Eleven stopped trying to open the box of candy. She remained quiet for a few moments 

"He... cared. For me." She finally said. It was hardly an answer, but it was the best Eleven could really do to answer him.

"How did he... care for you?" 

Eleven shrugged, beginning to open the box of candy again. "He just did." She mumbled quietly, almost too quietly 

Billy took that as his answer "Alright then." He said 

"How about this. Where's Papa's house?" Billy asked. If it was something to do with sex trafficking as Billy was suspecting, he was beginning to think he could anonymously tip off the police to the location of the house. His mind was moving too quickly, faster than the reality at hand 

"I'm... Not sure." Eleven answered. She was simply playing with the flaps that opened the candy in an attempt to distract herself 

"Well fuck, that's real nice." Billy muttered before realizing how harsh his words sounded.

Eleven frowned a bit, noting his anger. She glanced to him before looking away, down to the box of candy before setting that down 

Billy ran his hand over his face again, sighing as he did so. While it wasn't exactly late, he was definitely tired. 

"Look..." He said quietly "we can get some breakfast in the morning or something." He hoped the roads would be clear enough to do so by morning- and if they weren't, he'd just have to figure something else out.

"Maybe we can ride around and..." He trailed off a moment, realizing he was truly clueless when it came to what they should do next. He instead came to the bed, grabbing his case of beer 

Eleven looked a bit confused, frowning. Was he leaving? "I think it's time we call it a night..." Billy said quietly. "I'm room 216, your neighbor," He headed for the door "so... ya know, come and get me if anything's wrong." 

He placed his hand on the doorknob, pulling the door open. Then, to Billy's shock, the door slammed aggressively in his face. He backed up a moment as a pale-faced frown began forming 

He reached for the door handle once more, pulling the door open just for it to slam closed yet again "The fuck..." Billy muttered

"Don't go." He heard a faint voice say. He turned around to look at Eleven. There was no fucking way  _ she  _ did that. It had to of been the wind- or maybe the door was just fucked up- but there's no way a  _ human girl  _ could have done  _ that _ sitting from where she was sat.

Billy shook his head a bit in confusion, a golden lock falling in front of his impossibly blue eyes. 

"You..." Billy mentally kicked himself for even beginning to form the question 'you didn't do that, right?'... '  _ Of course she didn't do that, you fucking idiot.' _

Once again, as if to test his luck, he reached for the door handle again, pulling the door open only to have it yet again aggressively slammed. This time it closed so hard that Billy accidentally dropped his case of beer, along with the painting of the little girl with the ice cream cone and the puppy almost falling off the wall 

"Eleven..." Billy slowly turned to face her. The girl's face was pale, contrasting the stream of crimson flowing from her left nostril. She looked alarmingly relaxed for someone that just witnessed what happened. It only added to Billy's bewilderment.

Eleven wiped her nose quickly with the palm of her hand.

"Don't... go..." 


	4. What To Do Next

Billy's eye's widened a bit more, though that was hardly possible at this point. His mouth fell open, then closed, then opened again. He temporarily looked like a stunned fish out of water. Which, to be fair, he did sort of feel like a fish grabbed from it's natural born environment, only to be yanked to the land above. Everything he previously knew as fact may have just crumbled before his very own eyes.

He turned to the door, staring at the handle. "Did you...?" Were all the words Billy could really form. It seemed the third time really was the charm. 

Billy, who self-identified as a 'non-believer of made-up bullshit and imaginary friends' had a hard time when it came to believing in things that required faith; religion or otherwise.

"Yes." Eleven said easily. Her dark-eyed gaze remained on Billy, trying her hardest to figure out how he was feeling- and how she might, in turn, be able to help.

Billy took a seat in the small chair by the window, putting his elbows on his knees and his hands on his cheeks "How did you... How did you do that?" He asked, his stomach twisting up simply speaking the words out loud 

Eleven shrugged. Even if she wanted to and had the proper vocabulary to explain how she had her powers, she still didn't actually know  _ for sure  _ how she had them. You could only go so far by saying something like 'tests' when you're the one being tested. 

Eleven shuffled around the bag of goodies Billy had brought, settling on some Twizzlers to try. Once she took a bite of the licorice candy, she seemed pleasantly surprised by how sweet it was 

She got another one of the candy ropes, outstretching her arm so she could attempt to hand it to Billy 

"Want one?" She asked innocently enough, seemingly ignorant to the fact Billy was just about losing his goddamn mind at this point as he tried to comprehend what the actual fuck just happened. 

It did snap him out of it, though "Do I want one? Do I fucking want one?" Billy asked, standing up "I want to know how you did that. I want to know who you are and where the actual  _ fuck  _ your parents are!" He raised his voice slightly, though he didn't yell- but he was certainly close to it. 

Eleven watched him carefully. She wasn't frightened of him, but she also wasn't unaffected by his outburst. It made her a bit worried- for him, not for her. She could handle her own. She'd done so multiple times before.  Billy grabbed hold of the beer he'd left on the nightstand, taking an incredibly long gulp of it. He set it down roughly before pacing the room slightly "How long have you been able to do that?"

Eleven shrugged, taking another bite of the licorice. "Since the..." She searched for the proper word, thinking hard of what it could be "...beginning." 

Billy had no idea what that meant. It was an answer, yes, but like just about everything else Eleven said, it only brought more questions to mind. 

"Since the beginning of what?" Billy pressed. "Since you were a baby?" 

Eleven shook her head a bit, pausing, then shrugging 

'  _ What the  fuck does that even mean!'  _ Billy thought to himself, letting out a deep sigh. It was apparent he was growing more pissed off, but not at Eleven. He was growing more and more pissed off at the situation in general- mostly at the lack of control he had in said situation.

Eleven wasn't a burden, but thinking of what he could do with her now that he knew her  _ abilities _ was... Difficult. 

This wasn't one of those stupid superhero comic's Max likes to read, he couldn't actually expect to protect her from whoever she was hiding from. He couldn't protect her from the bad guys. There wasn't some secret hideout he could take her to be safe. Shit like that costs money, money Billy didn't have

He looked to her, finally beginning to calm down from his initial shock. Now was the time for answers. 

"Are there people after you, Eleven?" Billy asked. He activley tried his best to keep his tone neutral and comforting, but everything in his mind was telling him this was fucked. That this was completely out of his control, and that he just strapped himself into a ride he isn't sure he wants to be on. 

Eleven looked to him, a small frown formed before she nodded - then pausing "I... don't know." She didn't know- not for sure. But she was sure some of them were still out there. She just didn't know if they were actively looking for her. 

Billy pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, biting down on it hard. He couldn't just leave her. But he also didn't know what the hell he could do with her. He walked to the door- not to leave but to grab the case of beer he had dropped. Thankfully, none of the bottles had broken.

He took a beer, then took a seat in the chair he'd been sat in previously. What questions was he even supposed to be asking in a time like this? 

"Listen." Billy said, his gaze landing on Eleven, before twisting the cap off of the beer 

"Do you have any friends? Anyone you could go with?" His tone was gentle, surprisingly not accusing or harsh or demeaning. Just curious. Looking for a genuine answer to a very real, very concerning problem

Eleven looked down a moment. She thought about Mike and Dustin and Will and Lucas. They were her friends, yes. But she couldn't go to them.

Billy began realistically thinking of what would happen if Eleven were to just come home with him. He could say he found her on the highway, abandoned by her parents. Susan would probably let her stay for the night... But his dad wouldn't let her stay much longer than that. Neil would probably have her taken to the police station, which would probably result in her being taken by Child Protective Services- likely resulting in her being found by whoever she's running from. 

Billy stood up from his seat, beginning to pace around the room yet again. He couldn't keep paying for a motel. That took money he didn't have. Eleven needed a place she could actually hideout, a place she could actually live for a while. Billy continued taking little sips of his beer as he walked. 

Eleven watched him patiently, crossing her legs as she sat on the bed. 

Billy's mind was scattered. How much would it cost to continue to take care of her? Are there any abandon homes she could maybe live in? What if he were to take her home and keep her in the basement while he figured something out?  _ Why does he care what happens to her? _

The scattered questions continued like that, not one question being followed through far enough to come up with an actual conclusion as to what he should do.

All that messy thinking gave Billy a headache. He walked to the window, peeking out of it through the blinds. The sky was powerfully dark; holding back from the coming storm. 

"I have to come up with something... someplace I can take you." He mumbled quietly, mostly to himself, as he looked out of the window. 

Eleven looked down at the carpeted floor below her and the bed. She was beginning to feel as though she was a problem needing to be solved, which wasn't a very pleasant feeling. She knew he was just trying to help, but El wasn't exactly sure if she wanted to be helped- not if it caused so much stress and worry. 

Billy noticed her silence, glancing over to her. She didn't  _ look  _ upset, but Billy could tell something was off. Taking a seat next to her, he let out a slow sigh. The two of them stared at the same carpeted floor, each wondering what's next. 

"Are... You okay?" Billy asked softly. He sounded unsure of himself, likely because he was. He was unsure of the whole situation. He wasn't one for solution making. If anything, he thought of himself as a problem maker. Most of all, though, he struggled with asking people how they really were. Probably because he was never asked- at least, not after his mom left him. 

There wasn't ever a setting for learning how to ask and check up on someone either. He didn't spend time around people who really cared about how he felt. Maybe Max did. But he would never tell her how he felt. He thought expressing his pain like that was stupid. Even just thinking about saying how he truly felt- all the storm clouds of emotion locked inside his mind- somehow made him feel even worse. 

Eleven looked over to Billy, nodding. "Yes." It wasn't exactly a lie, given she was better than she'd been in weeks. She was clean, she had a full stomach, and she had a safe, warm place to spend the night. Compared to how she was just twenty-four hours ago, she's absolutely fantastic.

Billy looked at her. Truly looked, too. And, for a moment, he could see that Eleven was actually  _ pretty.  _ She looked almost like a tiny doll, all pale skin and pink lips. There was something in her eyes- something that told Billy she'd seen more in her lifetime than most could ever even imagine.

And Eleven looked up at him, the tiniest of smiles pulling at the ends of her lips. Eleven could see that Billy was surprisingly young looking. Maybe it was his anger that made him look so much older before. 

Eleven eventually looked away, looking to the tv in front of them. Using her abilities, she turned the television on. "I thought that was broken..." He said, mostly speaking to himself 

He figured it'd probably be a while before he became comfortable with the idea of a person with abilities, but that was alright. They had time. 

An episode of Punky Brewster was just beginning to play. Billy glanced to the digital clock on the nightstand, seeing it was beginning to get late. 

Billy let out a slow sigh, taking one of the licorice ropes. "You need to go to bed soon." The words felt foreign in his mouth, almost wrong to say. 

Yes, he was totally fine with bossing people around, Max could attest to that. But telling Eleven what to do somehow felt wrong in a way Billy couldn't fully understand. 

Eleven glanced over to him for a second only to look back to the tv. "Okay." 

Billy bit off a piece of the candy "And, we're gonna have to get you a book or something. I can't have you just saying 'yes' and 'okay' for the rest of your life." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still thinking of places to take this story, but so far, I have a few ideas I'm beginning to lean towards :)  
> If you have any thoughts or critiques on the story so far, feel free to comment them!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :) Feel free to comment any (preferably hate-free) thoughts and opinions you may have about this story. Have a great day.


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